The Football Association is to mount a vigorous defence of England Under-21
players and coaching staff who were charged by Serbian police on Tuesday
following the racism-fuelled brawl which marred the recent Euro 2013
play-off tie in Krusevac.

Ugly scenes: Serbian police have charged 12 people following the brawl after the Under-21 playoff. Photo: GETTY IMAGES

The Football Association is to mount a vigorous defence of England Under-21 players and coaching staff who were charged by Serbian police on Tuesday following the racism-fuelled brawl which marred the recent Euro 2013 play-off tie in Krusevac.

The charges have opened the prospect of England players and officials being imprisoned in Serbia.

Senior figures within the FA are understood to be stunned and angered by the charges which include two unnamed England players and an assistant coach. The FA were waiting to hear the names of those charged last night. It is thought that one of the players is Danny Rose, who suffered racial abuse at the game, and that the assistant coach is Steve Wigley, who was kicked in the stomach during the fighting.

Twelve people in total have been charged in relation to the Oct 16 fixture having, according to Serbian police, 'committed an act of violence during a sports event.’

The Daily Telegraph revealed in the immediate aftermath of the fixture that Serbian police were planning action against those involved, with Ivica Dacic, the country’s prime minister – and also its police chief – warning that those identified as taking part in the on-pitch scuffles would be 'brought to justice.’

If Serbia’s public prosecutors accept the police charges and take the matter to court, those accused could face prison sentences if convicted.

With uncertainty surrounding the legal ramifications of the development and potential extradition issues, the FA is also seeking advice from the Government.

The UK currently has an extradition agreement with Serbia, but the Serbian authorities would have to make a request to the Home Secretary in the first instance.

Should the Serbians be able to satisfy the legal tests in place, however, extradition could be granted by a Magistrates’ court.

The charges are merely the latest controversial development following the fixture, which saw England defender Rose subjected to persistent racist abuse and monkey chants by the home supporters prior to ugly scenes at the end of the game, when players and staff from both team clashed on the pitch.

Rose was sent off in the closing stages of the game for kicking the ball away in frustration. As he left the pitch, the Sunderland defender responded to his tormentors in the crowd by appearing to mock their monkey chanting.

Despite the treatments suffered by Rose, the player was condemned by the Serbian FA in a statement following the game.

“Danny Rose behaved in inappropriate, unsportsmanlike and vulgar manner towards the supporters on the stands at the stadium in Krusevac,” the statement said.

“The FA of Serbia absolutely refuses and denies that there were any occurrences of racism before and during the match. Making connection between a fight between members of the two teams and racism has absolutely no grounds and we consider it to be a total malevolence.”

Missiles were thrown at the players following Rose’s dismissal and violent scenes followed the end of the game, with members of the Serbian team, and particularly the coaching staff, allegedly attacking their English counterparts. In addition to the assault on Wigley, goalkeeping coach Martin Thomas was butted.

Following the game, FA general secretary Alex Horne said Rose had been the target of racial abuse and threatened to refuse sending teams to play in Serbia in the future.

“We were shocked and appalled by the disgraceful events that occurred in Serbia,” Horne said. “Our players and staff were subjected to racial abuse, violence as well as missiles being thrown at them throughout the match. What occurred is inexcusable and not acceptable.

“We call on Uefa to take the strongest possible action against the Serbian FA, their supporters and anyone found guilty of being involved in the numerous instances of violence and abuse.

“No football team should be asked to play in any environment where racial abuse, violence and threatening behaviour is prevalent. We must question the validity of sending a team to Serbia in the future.”

As a result of the violence, Uefa charged both countries’ football association for their part in the post-match brawl, with Serbia also warned that they face action for the racial abuse when Uefa’s control and disciplinary body sits on Nov 22.

The Serbian Football Association has already suspended two players, Nikola Ninkovic and Ognjen Mudrinski, from playing in all national teams for a year for their roles in the incident.